This invention relates to security provision and data audit monitoring for portable computers and for portable memory storage devices, in particular for solid state memory storage devices.
Laptop computers and removable memory devices having small physical size and significant data storage capacity are increasingly common. Loss or theft of such a device presents a considerable data security hazard, in addition, if devices are unattended for any time there is a risk that unauthorised access to data may occur without the knowledge of the data owner.
As a result of their small physical size laptop computers and removable memory devices may easily be misplaced or stolen. In recent and highly publicised examples the loss of highly sensitive or valuable information on removable memory storage devices has been shown to be damaging both to organisations and to governments.
It is desirable to provide the highest levels of security when removable memory is connected to a host computer and also during transportation. It is further desirable to provide an audit trail of where, when and by whom data has been read, viewed, copied or modified, it is further desirable that this information be held securely and be independently verifiable and safe from tampering. This would provide assurance that the highest levels of data security have been maintained and would provide valuable information as to exactly what information has been read or released by authorised and unauthorised users.